Imaging measures predict progression in progressive supranuclear palsy

Objective: The aim of this work was to determine whether the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale, a measure of disease severity, is associated with neuroanatomical changes in progressive supranuclear palsy. Methods: We recruited 22 subjects with probable progressive supranuclear palsy who completed the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale at 2 time points. All subjects had magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Associations were assessed between whole brain volume, ventricular volume, midbrain area and superior cerebellar peduncle fractional anisotropy, and baseline/change of the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale. Results: Superior cerebellar peduncle fractional anisotropy correlated with the total score and gait/midline subscore of the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale. Whole brain volume, midbrain area, and disease duration predicted subsequent change over time in the gait/midline subscore of the progressive supranuclear palsy rating scale. Conclusions: Imaging measures could be useful to help predict clinical progression in subjects with progressive supranuclear palsy.